UNIBEN Prof announces alleged cure for HIV/AIDS

Benin – Prof. Isaiah Ibeh of the University of Benin, on Tuesday announced the development of a new drug that can possibly cure HIV and AIDS.

Ibeh, who is the Dean of the School of Basic Medical Sciences of the university, told reporters in Benin that the herbal drug had undergone “series of successful tests”.

He said “We are at the threshold of making history, in the sense that we seem to have with us something that will permanently take care of what over time seems to have defied all solutions. “We are talking about the latest discovery of an oral drug made from plants extraction in Nigeria for the possible cure of the pandemic, HIV and AIDS virus.’’

According to him, research on the project was started in 2010 and culminated in the development of “Deconcotion X (DX)–Liquid or Bioclean 11 for the cure of HIV and AIDS”. “The existing retroviral drugs are intervention drugs for the management of AIDS but our new discovery is a possible cure.

File photo: A rally to mark HIV/Aids Day.

“We have tried to look at the product first; its toxicological analysis and discovered that it has a large safety margin. This means that if animals or human beings are exposed to it, they will not suffer any serious harm at all from the exposure.

“It also helped us to know the quantity we can conveniently give to animals and will feel secure that nothing untoward will happen. We have also done the bacteriological analysis on it, after which we looked at its effect on the virus and the result was quite revealing and refreshing.”

Ibeh also said that the drug had been exposed to series of medical examination both in Nigeria and in the USA. He added that the drug had performed well on patients with the HIV virus and had shown evidence of total restoration of damaged tissues.

“The result showed an increase in the body weight of the individual administered with DX. “The body weight was statistically significant when compared with the control group.”

He said that further tests were being conducted to determine “at what point will a patient become negative after being administered the drug?”.

“This verification is necessary because it is what is used to measure whether infection is still there or not. So we need to know the siro-convention time.

“But preliminary results showed that of the five latest patients orally administered with the drugs, our findings is that up to seven months , three of them were siro negative while two were sill faintly positive.’’

Ibeh appealed for support from the Federal Government and relevant bodies to assist the university with relevant equipment to sustain the research.(NAN)

Our earlier comments

By esaulogbon
If it is true, then we can now be released from the bondage… and go on banging spree!!! Thank you Prof Ibeh.

1. How were they tested…before or after the commencement of the drug? What testing modality was used? ELISA? Western Blot? PCR?

2. Were they taking anti-retrovirals at the same time?

3. Three patients were negative, two positve. Why? What did the positive do that the negative did?

4.And testing the drug on only 5 patients? Has he done a Randomised Controlled trial? How does the drug compare to placebo, or regular anti-retroviral drugs?

Note that before you can say a drug works it must have undergone phase 3 testing ( RCT-Randomised controlled trial testing). If it has not-it is not a cure. Simples.

Prof is still at pre-phase 1. Hardly the idea of a cure.

(BTW-I am not working for the drug companies-and as a doctor who has treated many HIV positive patients( and even had some die in my arms) believe you me I want a cure. I really really want a cure. But I want a rigorously tested cure–not a wayo, wayo cure).

By Sunnypeters
Everything is not about criticism. We are becoming a population of cynics. The news was very clear: the Prof. indicated the progress of the research and what still needs to be done. Your questions have already been answered by the news article unless if you read things with a set mind.

If everything is already in place why would he be asking for help from the federal government? While I accept that there is a lot of rot in the Nigerian society we should also be reasonable enough to support progress when we see one. It is not compulsory to respond to every news item just for the sake of been heard. In that sense, your interventions is distracting and unnecessary.

“We are at the threshold of making history”

Which means you have not made history yet.
As a professorial, I want to believe he knows what he is talking about. If he has a cure for HIV, it is not vanguard that will announce it. Any drug that does not address its relationship with the immune system, is a waste of time.
This is how a virus disease works with the immune system.
If innate immune cells decide that the material is dangerous ( virus ), then they stimulate a specialized group of white blood cells causes CD4+ helper T cells to become activated. CD4+ refers to a surface protein on this class of T cells. Helper T cells can stimulate another group of white blood cells called B cells to produce antibodies that bind that specific antigen and immobilize it, preventing it from causing infection.
Any drug than does not stop HIV from beating the human homeostasis will never be a cure. This is why scientist are now more involved with a vaccine rather than a cure. People gain weight even when infected with HIV, so that is not a parameter. Let us know what you have Prof and you will be a billionaire is hours, if you are seeking publicity, too bad for a professor. Agboo cannot cure HIV.

By forestgee
I think they are getting close to it…

By adiobin
Could this be one of the breakthroughs that pastor Adeboye was talking about the other day.It was prof. Iwu the other day, today, its prof. Ibeh. Time will tell.

By Alebros
you dont seem to understand the politics of hiv science.the multi-billion dollar u.s companies dont want a cure.They want a life long control so as to make more pharma-dollars. Also be pragmatic.the bottom line is that the drug appeared to have cured 3 patients.none of the western drugs can claim that.

We don’t need to understand the mechanism for the cure.The fact of the cure is what matters for africa.Enough of a racist virus that only concentrates on the black race.we are not more promiscuous than the white caucausians.The west wont welcome this cure, if it is genuine.They would sabotage it as someone here hinted.

By nnaemeka nwachukwu
Go and help them out with that research, don’t sit down and castigate, we’ve not seen your own efforts, go and join hands with them and make it work …

By Alebros
why did u skip the last paragraph of the article?3 patients were seronegative after 7 months. No anti-viral drug has ever achieved that.

By bluckHead
If he has a cure that has been tested in United State and Nigeria he would not be in Iyekupkolo announcing it. This is not the first. Any reasonable government will arrest this guy for misleading the public.

By bluckHead
“We are at the threshold of making history”

Which means you have not made history yet.
As a professorial, I want to believe he knows what he is talking about. If he has a cure for HIV, it is not vanguard that will announce it. Any drug that does not address its relationship with the immune system, is a waste of time.
This is how a virus disease works with the immune system.

If innate immune cells decide that the material is dangerous ( virus ), then they stimulate a specialized group of white blood cells causes CD4+ helper T cells to become activated. CD4+ refers to a surface protein on this class of T cells. Helper T cells can stimulate another group of white blood cells called B cells to produce antibodies that bind that specific antigen and immobilize it, preventing it from causing infection.

Any drug than does not stop HIV from beating the human homeostasis will never be a cure. This is why scientist are now more involved with a vaccine rather than a cure. People gain weight even when infected with HIV, so that is not a parameter. Let us know what you have Prof and you will be a billionaire is hours, if you are seeking publicity, too bad for a professor. Agboo cannot cure HIV.

By nnaemeka nwachukwu
U people should relax and encourage them, dont be so excited now and dont talk too much

By Okeke Ancestor CasRobin
NO! Federal Govt. does not invest in such venture, rather furniture allowance should be increased…Prof. just concentrate and do the job as you can, when success is achieved then you can expect Aso-hand shake. and please beware, duplicate all documents used for the research in case of fire outbreak or related incidents…its a funny country we have here!

By Tonnie
A very big congratulations Prof. Ibeh and Uniben, this is the most reassuring news I have read about Nigeria in decades. Thus, significantly showing to the outside World that Nigeria(ns) can be reckoned with in modern day technology vis-a-vis human development, innovations and medicine. Am glad am a Nigerian and also a product of UNIBEN.

By aigbikor afegbai
can any good thing come out of bethlehem…… I alwayz tell people that God and his son jesus christ are frm otuo edo state in nigeria… Nigeria will surely esperience a breakthrough this year in the name of our lord jesus christ amen.

By alimi akeem
Don’t be fooled Nigerians…..no cure yet until a robust research proves so….u can use 5 patients to conclude, u need thousands of patient

By Toni
Something to be proud of as a Nigerian. And Prof. Maurice Iwu is also developing another drug said to be able to ‘cure’ this same virus; or is it the same drug? Either way it’s a good thing people’s lives may be saved from this AIDS scourge